Mozambique fishing authorities announced that the fishing and sale of shrimp caught in the waters of the country will be prohibited for two months, in order to allow the recovery of stocks and preserve the resource.

The ban began in early January and will continue until the end of February.

“There should be no record of shrimp fishing, sale and transport during the prohibition period,” Mauricio Mausse, head of the Provincial Directorate of the Sea, Inland Water and Fisheries, told reporters.

As shrimp is already scarce in Mozambican waters due to overfishing, Fisheries Minister Leonid Chimarizane has promised a firm hand against violators.

To ensure compliance with the decision, the fisheries authorities will reinforce inspection activities in the markets, and impose punitive measures on the offenders.

In 2017, a report from the World Wildlife Fund warned of the shrimp delicate situation and said that the sustainability of this fishery was threatened.

Source: FIS